AN ASYLUM seeker who had made his hime in Yorkshire killed himself so his teenage son could stay in Britain.


Months before his death in September last year Manuel Bravo wrote a letter saying he would kill himself rather than be deported back to Africa, so that his son could stay here.

His son Antonio was only 13 and by law could not be deported as a lone minor.


In the early hours of September 13 last year their Leeds home was raided by police and immigration officers and Mr Bravo and his son were seized.


An inquest which opened into his death this month (January) was told that the two were taken to Yarls Wood detention centre near Bedford in readiness for deportation to Angola, in west Africa.


Mr Bravo hanged himself in the centre a day after being seized.


His death was captured on film by the centre's CCTV cameras.


He had been told he was being returned to Angola having been arrested by four immigration and four police officers at his home.


The following night he tied a sheet to a metal stair bannister and attached it to his neck.


The inquest in Bedford heard that Mr Bravo and his family had fled Angola in 2001. His father was an opposition leader who was challenging the rule of President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.


Mr Bravo's wife Lydia returned to Angola with their younger son Mellyu to care for relatives, but have since disappeared. Mr Bravo was left in Leeds with Antonio, now 14.


Yesterday, Bedfordshire coroner David Morris said: "Mr Bravo hung himself in Yarls Wood having indicated last April he would do so if he was deported.


"In a letter he said if he was forced to leave the country he would take his life and he did just that.


"If he took his life he thought his son would stay in this country, have a good education and be brought up properly. He wanted to do the best for his son."

Mr Bravo and his son had become members of Christ Church in Upper Armley in Leeds, which has a group which assists refugees and asylum seekers.

The vicar of Christ Church, the Rev Alistair Haye, said: "People in our community were saddened and appalled by the tragic death of Manuel back in September.

"The sad thing is that in the UK, little has changed for asylum seekers - individuals and families.

"Yes, we need to have clear immigration policies, but in a civilised, just and fair society, people should not be traumatised and sent back into situations of danger, persecution torture or even death in the countries they have fled from."

The coroner adjourned the inquest for a full hearing at a later date.